PNNL

The Health Physics Society (HPS) has selected Jonathan Napier, an environmental health physicist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), for a 4-year term as a delegate to the International Radiation Protection Association’s (IRPA) General Assembly.

HPS is a professional organization whose mission is excellence in the science and practice of radiation protection. Napier, a member of the society for 13 years, is a subject matter expert on environmental impacts to human health, waste, spent nuclear fuel, transportation and decommissioning, who works to support the needs of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and Department of Human Services. He works in the Risk and Environmental Assessment Group of the Earth Systems Science Division in PNNL’s Energy and Environment Directorate

As an HPS delegate to the IRPA General Assembly, Napier will represent Society members to the greater international community. The General Assembly is the representative body of IRPA which controls funds, properties, and activities of IRPA. Members of the IRPA General Assembly participate in meetings related to current issues relevant to IRPA and meet as necessary to accomplish present business. Additionally, the General Assembly votes to confirm members of the IRPA Executive Council, on essential business matters, matters on the agenda, and other items presented by the President of the IRPA Executive Council.

Napier joined PNNL in 2021. Prior to being with PNNL, he served as a health physicist for the Washington State Department of Health. While at the Washington State Department of Health, Napier authored radioactive materials licenses and performed license compliance inspections for medical, laboratory, and the industrial uses of radioactive materials within the Washington State.

He started his career as a technical expert at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he provided support to procedural updates and to the Radiation Calibration Laboratory. Eventually he transitioned to an Occupational Health Physics position supporting the National Ignition Facility. As an occupational health physicist Napier conducted radiological impact assessments for new and continuing projects and implemented radiological protection requirements at the National Ignition Facility. Napier, a certified health physicist, earned his PhD in radiation health physics from Oregon State University.